Teakeasy Tea opened its first brick-and-mortar location in Pflugerville.

The overview: Owned by Duane and Tara Godby, the shop sells black, chai, green, caffeine-free and other varieties of tea. The business also operates an online store, where customers will find a curated collection of luxury teas sources from around the world.

One popular tea is the Pecan Street, a tribute to the city of Pflugerville that includes apple pieces, cocoa nibs, cinnamon, dark chocolate chips and marigold flowers.

• Opened April 17

Pflugerville ISD teachers, professional support, nurses, psychologists and diagnosticians are slated to see pay increases in 2026-27, following the board of trustees' approval of the compensation package during the April 16 board meeting. 

The details: The recommendation included a step pay increase for teachers and teacher-related positions, nurses, and professional support positions. Starting teacher salaries for Teacher Retention Allotment qualified teachers will continue to be $58,300. The recommendation also included a $5,000 stipend for school psychologists and diagnosticians. Chief Financial Officer Jennifer Land said the financial impact to the budget based on this compensation package will be about $1.5 million, bringing the new projected budget shortfall to $19.7 million.

Key takeaways: Land said this shortfall amount is going to change due to administrative cost reduction efforts in 2026-27. 

Remember this? District officials have been looking at other ways to reduce current and future shortfalls by optimizing operations such as closing campuses, rezoning students, repurposing vacant facilities and implementing new school program models which could save upwards of $20 million. 

Check out some of the most read stories in the Austin area April 13-16.

1. Significant traffic shifts at New Hope, 183A intersection in Cedar Park

2. The Lodge Card Club closes in Round Rock, lays off 114 employees

3. Check out 17 events happening in the Pflugerville, Hutto area

4. Lake Georgetown under drought watch

5. New housing development coming to Leander near Bar W Ranch and Larkspur

6. Wendy's opening soon off Hwy. 46 in New Braunfels

Texas is home to the nation’s fastest-growing data center market, with one January report projecting that the state will see a 142% increase in its share of the data center industry by the end of 2028.

During a wide-ranging Texas House hearing April 9, lawmakers questioned data center developers, energy companies and state grid officials about the amount of water the large facilities use; how they impact noise levels and air quality; and whether residents can expect higher costs when data centers come to their communities.

What they're saying: “Water is a really scarce resource in this state, and so we have to have a clear picture of what these facilities use on the water side,” said Thomas Gleeson, chair of the Public Utility Commission of Texas.

More details: Data centers use water to cool their computer servers and prevent overheating. The facilities have historically used a water-intensive process known as "evaporative cooling," but data center executives said April 9 that they have transitioned to “closed-loop” systems where water is continuously reused.